Comic accused of rape

By Staff Writer

An Augusta woman is suing comedian Tommy Davidson, alleging the former In Living Color star raped her following a concert at the Comedy House Theatre in February.

In the lawsuit filed Thursday, the 31-year-old woman said Mr. Davidson raped, kidnapped, sodomized and battered her Feb. 8 in a hotel room at the Radisson Suites Inn on Washington Road, where the comedian was staying.

The comedian pulled the woman into his hotel room against her will and forced her to have unprotected sex with him, according to the lawsuit.

The woman is seeking unspecified damages for medical expenses, travel for medical treatment, loss of earnings, and pain and suffering, as well as punitive damages.

"Basically, my client is in living hell from what has happened to her and I will do anything I can to get her justice," said Augusta attorney Joseph R. Neal Jr., who is representing the woman. "This is one of the things that is terrifying her, that the guy did not wear a condom."

His client is undergoing counseling and plans to be tested for the AIDS virus after a six-month incubation period, Mr. Neal said.

A lawsuit represents only one side in a dispute.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Department is investigating the woman's complaint, but no charges have been filed, said Chief Deputy Ronnie Strength.

"There are some inconsistencies that we did not like," he said.

Chief Deputy Strength could not remember Sunday night if police had interviewed the comedian.

Mr. Neal said the lawsuit was served Friday night during Mr. Davidson's performance at the Comedy House Theatre in Columbia, but a manager there said no one interrupted the stand-up comedian while he was on stage.

"No, that's absolutely not true," said club manager Melissa English. "I can assure you absolutely nothing happened in this building."

Attempts to reach Mr. Davidson, who also performed in Columbia on Sunday night, or his manager Will Fields were unsuccessful.

Mr. Davidson is currently starring in Booty Call with his In Living Color co-star Jamie Foxx. In the movie, the two men play friends of a double date. A dog runs off with a condom belonging to Mr. Davidson's character and he spends the rest of the movie trying to find another one.